Marika Koroibete scored a brace as the Rebels claimed an important 52-7 bonus-point win against the Sunwolves in Tokyo on Saturday.
Koroibete scored two of the Rebels’ first-half tries. Lock Matt Philip was sent to the sin bin in the 22nd minute after committing a cynical offence, but the Rebels recovered to take a commanding 19-0 lead into half-time.
The visitors scored five tries after the break – with Jack Maddocks grabbing a brace – to secure the result as well as the bonus point.
The result means that the Rebels are one log point behind the Brumbies at the top of the Australian conference.
Sunwolves – Try: Jason Emery. Conversion: Hayden Parker.
Rebels – Tries: Angus Cottrell, Marika Koroibete (2), Jack Maddocks (2), Dane Haylett-Petty, Michael Ruru, Jordan Ulese. Conversions: Quade Cooper (6).
Sunwolves – 15 Jason Emery, 14 Gerhard Van Den Heever, 13 Josh Timu, 12 Phil Burleigh, 11 Semisi Masirewa, 10 Hayden Parker, 9 Kaito Shigeno, 8 Amanaki Mafi, 7 Dan Pryor, 6 Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco, 5 Luke Thompson, 4 Mark Abbott, 3 Hiroshi Yamashita, 2 Nathan Vella, 1 Masataka Mikami.
Subs: 16 Jaba Bregvadze, 17 Conan O’Donnell, 18 Takuma Asahara, 19 Yoshitaka Tokunaga, 20 Hendrik Tui, 21 Jamie Booth, 22 Hosea Saumaki, 23 Takuya Yamasawa.
Rebels – 15 Dane Haylett-Petty (c), 14 Jack Maddocks, 13 Reece Hodge, 12 Billy Meakes, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Richard Hardwick, 7 Angus Cottrell, 6 Ross Haylett-Petty, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Matt Philip, 3 Sam Talakai , 2 Hugh Roach, 1 Matt Gibbon.
Subs: 16 Jordan Ulese, 17 Tetera Faulkner, 18 Jermaine Ainsley, 19 Sam Jeffries, 20 Rob Leota, 21 Michael Ruru, 22 Matt To’omua, 23 Tom English.
Photo: Toru Hanai/Getty Images
